Falcons’ secondary wants interception record; it has questions to answer first

“It’s always good to get leaders back,” Hood said during OTAs. “Having those guys in the room, they set the tone, so it’s been really fun.”

The Falcons return four of five starting defensive backs, with corner Mike Hughes and safety Xavier Watts joining Terrell and Bates on the back end. The team lost starting nickel Dee Alford in free agency but otherwise retained its core.

All told, that’s a fine development for the Falcons, who ranked No. 13 in the league in pass defense last season, allowing just over 200 yards per game. They tied for sixth with 16 interceptions and allowed the 10th-lowest completion rate at 62.6%.

So, what’s the next step? The Falcons have their sights set on history. Last year, they had a franchise-record 57 sacks. As a follow-up, Bates said the secondary wants to eclipse the team’s interceptions record, which was set in 1980 with 26.

Terrell shares the goal, too, and the Falcons’ secondary set a strong tone during OTAs. When a pass fell incomplete, the defensive backs often scooped it and returned it to the end zone, practicing scoop-and-scores. They chased the ball out of bounds. They celebrated, at loud volumes, every time the ball hit the grass. When they intercepted passes, they took off toward the end zone for a pick-six.

The Falcons hope their practice habits, and their intentionality on forcing turnovers, will net historic dividends this fall.

“We’re definitely emphasizing that, whether it’s to punch the ball out, takeaways, interceptions,” Terrell said. “That’s just big.
Like, everybody’s focus has been on the ball.”

Here’s a deeper look at the Falcons’ secondary before players arrive for training camp July 28.

Depth chart

Starters: CB A.J. Terrell, CB Mike Hughes, nickel Sydney Brown, S Jessie Bates III, S Xavier Watts

Backups: CB Avieon Terrell, CB Mike Ford, CB Clark Phillips III, CB Darnay Holmes, CB Cobee Bryant, S DeMarcco Hellams, DB Natrone Brooks

Notable departures

Biggest questions

1. Mike Hughes looks safe as a starter. Can Avieon Terrell stun him?

When the Falcons drafted Avieon Terrell, A.J.’s younger brother, in the second round of April’s draft, initial reactions appeared to overlook the strength of Hughes’ hold on a starting job.

“I love Mike,” Hood said during OTAs. “Every single year, you see his confidence grow. You just see him get comfortable and solidify himself as the corner opposite of A.J., and you see him grow.

“He’s really fun to coach when you watch his game and the way he prepares and the way he works, and then what he is for the room. So, it’s good.”

Since Hood became the Falcons’ secondary coach in 2024, Hughes has started all 27 of his appearances. The 2018 first-round pick is entering Year 9 as a professional, and his veteran presence seemingly has him well positioned to start this fall.

But the Falcons expect Avieon Terrell to play, too. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said he thinks Terrell will be a “significant contributor,” and the team will figure out where once training camp competitions play out.

Terrell spent OTAs and minicamp as an outside corner. He has experience playing nickel, and there’s more uncertainty about the Falcons’ starting plans there than on the perimeter. So, if Hughes’ job isn’t in jeopardy, perhaps Terrell will play more on the interior during training camp.

Otherwise, Terrell’s ascent — and whether he can challenge Hughes — will be interesting to monitor.

2. When does Billy Bowman Jr. get back, and who holds down his place in the meantime?

Bowman, who suffered a torn Achilles in November, is notably absent from the projected depth chart. He didn’t participate in individual drills, let alone team periods, and worked on a side field during OTAs and minicamp. He appears a long way from returning.

The Falcons are, however, pleased with Bowman’s progress. Coach Kevin Stefanski said he took plenty of mental reps in the previous stage of the offseason program, and the former Oklahoma standout continually “hit every mark in his rehab” as of the beginning of June.

Bowman enjoyed an impressive start to his rookie season, appearing in six games with one start while making 26 tackles, 1½ sacks, one tackle for loss and one interception before being sidelined.

The Falcons now have a nickel corner dilemma. Sydney Brown, acquired in March in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, took significant snaps with the starters during OTAs. A.J. Woods, a third-year pro who hasn’t played any regular season games, also earned snaps, as did veteran Darnay Holmes.

Brown appears the front-runner, though Avieon Terrell might work his way into the mix.

Ulbrich is particularly fond of Brown, who made 34 tackles across 17 games and three starts with the Eagles last season.

“With the addition of Sydney Brown, we’ve got some millionaire problems on the back end trying to figure out how to utilize all these guys and how to feature these guys,” Ulbrich said. “Because I think there’s so many guys on our back end, whether it be safety, nickel, or corner, that deserve the right to be a part of what we’re trying to build here.”

3. Who are the odd men out?

See that list of backups? Not all of them will make the team. Which ones? Who knows? That’s why they’re all listed. The Falcons will have several difficult cuts to make, particularly at corner, where they have 13 players on their 90-man roster and eight with at least three NFL seasons under their belt.

Mike Ford is a tricky evaluation. He played under Stefanski from 2023-24 with the Browns and played in all 17 games for the Falcons last season. But didn’t play a single defensive snap; he’s a special teams ace. If the Falcons decide they like their first five corners enough to justify carrying Ford, he’ll make the team. If not, Ford might be out of a spot.

The Falcons will likely keep no more than two of Holmes, Woods, Clark Phillips III and Cobee Bryant. There’s also C.J. Henderson, who started two games for the Falcons in 2025 and was a second-string outside cornerback in OTAs and minicamp.

All that, summarized: This is a deep room, or at least a room with a lot of players capable of making the roster. Training camp and preseason performance matters everywhere, of course, but it’ll be especially critical for a secondary with several questions.

Extracurriculars

Training camp information

The Falcons open training camp July 29 in Flowery Branch. The team will have 10 open practices for the fans, one being exclusive to season ticket holders July 31.